Beauty and the Bozo
by Writing4MySoul
Summary: Hank believes no one can love him in this form... until he meets Scott's younger brother Alex who became blind after "the accident". This is a story of how beauty taught the beast to overcome his shyness and self-consciousness, and transforming them both with love that is as old as the tale itself. Based off the X-Men: The Animated Series episode "Beauty and the Beast".
1. Chapter Notes

_**So for this story, pro-mutant rights have been around since the 1960s (along with gay rights). Nowadays people are pretty okay with mutants, but there are still people (mainly the Friends of Humanity) who still discriminate. There are laws to protect mutant rights, but there are still hate groups that attack. Hank doesn't go outside because he fears putting innocent people in danger.**_

 _ **Also for the story, Alex was the one to hit his head on the ground when he and Scott (who I made the older brother for this story) fell from the plane. I know in the X-Men that the reason that Scott has the visor is because he had neurological damage, but here he wears it because they had a run-in with a mutant (maybe Emma idk) and she took control of his mind and used his powers to try and kill Logan. He doesn't need it but still wears it as a precaution so he never hurts the ones he loves again. In the visor is an automatic shut-off switch that can be triggered by either Beast or Magneto in case of emergencies.**_

 _ **That is all. Carry on (my wayward sons ;))**_

 _ **~DeathLife97**_


	2. Part 1

Before he had gone to work for clinic, Hank had prefered to spend his time in the lab at Xavier Mansion. Since it was quite obvious that he was a mutant, he tried to hide from the outside world as much as possible. Everyone had someone except for him: Scott had Logan, Raven and Sean had their "epic bromance," and Charles and Erik were always playing chess (Hank suspected there was something more between the two friends, but he didn't have any proof yet). All Hank had was his lab equipment and his intelligence (which he wouldn't have as much of if he wasn't a mutant, something he cursed about when life got too difficult). The only time he left the lab was to socialize with the others (or, in layman's terms, when Raven came down and dragged him upstairs by the scruff of his neck).

"So, Hank, how's the new experiment going?" Charles asked over dinner.

"So far the results are inconclusive, Professor. And Scott, I made those repairs to your glasses if you want to come grab them after dinner." Scott nodded before continuing whatever conversation he was having with Logan. From the few whispers that Hank could pick up, they were talking about planning a trip for their anniversary. As for Hank's experiment, he was trying to find a way to control his mutation, allowing him to look human for periods of time. He remembered Raven's motto, something she kept repeating to him after their first meeting: "Mutant and proud!" And while he was proud for his mutation, Hank wanted to be able to go out in public without anyone becoming frightened of him because of his appearance. He wanted to do what most of humans took for granted: go to the movies, volunteer at clinics... fall in love.

If he was being honest with himself, the only reason Hank kept trying to find some semblance of a cure was so he could meet someone. He had begun to feel lonely, remembering his parents and how much they loved each other. He had always wanted something like that growing up, but once his mutation transformed from having big feet to blue fur covering every inch of his body. Hank, being the realist that he is, knew that there was no possible way anyone could ever want to be with a monster. But his mother had been very adamant to never give up hope. So he didn't... for the most part, anyway.

When he and Scott went down to the lab after dinner for his glasses, he was surprised when Scott hesitated. "You know my brother Alex?" Hank blinked, shrugging his shoulders. He'd heard stories about Scott's younger brother, who had become blind after their parent's death. Though Hank had never met Alex, he'd heard nothing but good things from Scott. "Well, he's been transferred over to the eye clinic in town, and I was hoping you could go visit him. Look," he interrupted after Hank gave him an alarmed look, "I know how you feel about leaving the mansion, but you're one of the smartest people I know. I was talking with one of the doctors there, and he thinks that its possible to give Alex his sight back. But I want someone there I can completely trust. And that someone is you, Hank."

"Charles is probably better suited than I am. He can actually walk out in public without having to worry about frightening anyone," Hank counters.

If Scott's eyes weren't covered, Hank was sure he'd be rolling them. "Hank," Scott says slowly, "you need to get out and be with other people that aren't the X-Men. I know Alex, he won't judge you—"

"Because he can't see the monster," Hank replies bitterly, his words spoken harsher than normal. After a moment he deflates. "I'm sorry I can't help Alex, Scott, but it's better for everyone if I stay here. All of you are the only ones who won't judge me for how I look. Out there, they will."

Scott stared at him for a few moments before sighing. He took a card out of his pocket and put it out for Hank to take. When he didn't, Scott set it down on the table next to him. "This is the name of the doctor taking care of Alex. If you change your mind, call him. He knows about you, so he won't treat you any different than he would anyone else."

After Scott leaves, it takes Hank all of five minutes to admit defeat and call the doctor. Dr. Alec Bolson seemed nice during their talk about Alex. They decided that Hank would come in tomorrow in order to get a preliminary report on Alex's condition. When he went to bed that night, Hank didn't know whether to be excited or terrified.


	3. Part 2

"Welcome to Westchester County Eye Clinic, Dr. McCoy."

"Please, call me Hank." Hank shook hands with hands with Dr. Bolson. He couldn't help but sniff the air to see if there was any fear permeating from the doctor. Hank was surprised when there was none, only curiosity. It comforted him that there was someone like Dr. Bolson, someone who wouldn't judge him because of his looks.

"Then you can call me Alec."

"Okay then, Alec." Hanks smiled, trying to conceal his fangs. "How's the patient?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Alec asks him. "C'mon, he's this way." He leads Hank down the hall to Room 764. When he opens the door, Hank is surprised, though he doesn't know why. Sitting in a corner chair is a young man with blonde hair. He has a pair of headphones on, loud enough for Hank to hear the familiar beats of The Rolling Stones. His eyes were closed and face relaxed, until Alec stepped into the room. His eyes flew open, and he sat up straighter. Alex took off his headphones, opening his mouth to presumably ask who was there. "It's just me, Alex," Alec said.

Alex immediately relaxed back into the chair before he turned his head over towards where the two doctors were standing. His blue eyes were clouded over, making them a pale, milky color. "Who else is with you? I can smell their aftershave all the way over here."

Hank blushed. "Is it too much? If you don't like it, I can change—"

Alex laughed. The happy melody made a warmth sink into the pit of Hank's stomach. "Don't be such a bozo, its fine. I've just never smelled it before. I'm Alex." He held his hand out.

Hank made no move to go over to shake it. "I don't think you want to do that."

Alex raises an eyebrow in Hank's general direction. "Why's that?"

"You wouldn't like what you feel."

Alex snorts. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" He motions for Hank to come closer. "C'mere." Hank moves over to where Alex is still sitting. He holds out his hand hesitantly, and Alex automatically reaches out to take it. He gasps at the foreign feeling, but holds on tighter when Hank tries to pull away. He feels down Hank's life line to his claws, which he outlines gingerly before moving back up. Alex pauses when he reaches Hank's wrist. "You mind?" Hank's automatic reaction is to shake his head, but he manages to mumble _no_. Alex feels up his arm, the fur standing on end from where he touches it. Hank suppresses the shiver that tries to run through him at the intimate touch. It had been a while since anyone touched him with anymore than a pat on the back or a handshake.

After what feels like an eternity, Alex lets go. Hank feels bereft at the loss of touch, and is surprised at the animalistic whine that wants to escape his throat. Instead he clears his throat. "My name is Hank McCoy. I'm friends with your brother Scott. He was hoping I could help you." _He's also trying to push my company on others unwillingly,_ Hank thought despondently.

"Nice to meet you, Bozo. As you can tell, I can't see. What do you look like?"

Hank blinks at the young man before him. He's only a year older than him, but at the moment, he appears younger, interest lighting up his face and brightening his opaque eyes somehow. "Um," Hank replies intelligently, "I don't really know anymore. It's been years since I've looked in a mirror."

"Why?"

Hank raises an eyebrow at the patient, and this is when he realizes that Alec has left. Hank gulps. _Damnit_. "Did you not just feel my paw? Why would I want to see _that_ everyday? Why would I want to be reminded of how much I'm feared?" He takes a deep breath, taking a seat on the bed across from Alex. "I'm sorry, its just been a while since..."

"Since...?" Alex asks, leaning forward, curious.

"...Since anyone's been nice to me. I have friends, but besides them, I don't really interact much with others."

"Then what do you do for fun?" Alex asks. He didn't like the sound in Hank's voice, the sadness and loneliness. He wanted to make it go away, but he didn't know how.

Hank, unaware of Alex's thoughts, sighed again. "I spend most of my time in the mansion. Scott's told you about it?" Alex nods. "I'm the healer of our team. I usually stay in the lab repairing different things or conducting experiments. Sometimes I leave to go to the Danger Room to stretch my legs and train, but that's pretty much it."

"What about eating?" Alex inquired.

"Because of my mutation, I can go about three days without food and five without sleep. It also enhances my natural intelligence, which I guess is a perk." Hank shrugs, even though he knows Alex can't see the gesture. "I don't have much people skills. Even without my mutation, people don't like me."

There's a small pause. "Then people don't know what they're missing out on. You seem pretty cool. A bozo, but cool. Were you always like this?"

"No. First I looked normal, but with giant feet—"

"So, Bigfoot?"

Hank smiled, actually smiled, not having to worry about Alex being scared of the fangs. "Yeah, sure, Bigfoot. But when I hit puberty, my hair started turning blue. Well, Charles says its more of a midnight blue if you want to be more accurate." Alex nods, eyes glued on Hank even though he couldn't see him. It made Hank feel special. "Then it started growing all over my body. I had a huge growth spurt, and finally my teeth and nails grew out. I've looked like this since I was seventeen."

"At least you can control yours."

Hank stared at Alex. "Are— are you a mutant too?"

Alex nods, holding out his arm. That's when Hank notices a patch on his arm. "After I woke up, I almost destroyed the hospital in my panic. If Scott hadn't been there to help me, I might've accidentally hurt someone. After that, they decided to put me on meds in order to keep my emotions stable. I apparently have the same abilities as Scott, but I project it through my chest."

Hank stares curiously at the man in front of him. "Fascinating."

Alex breaths out a puff of air. "So I guess the question is, which one of us is the monster?"

" _The one who uses their power for personal gain and harms others,_ " Hank quotes.

"Lemme guess, Scott said that?" Alex asks sarcastically.

"No, Charles did. It was one of the first things he said to me when we met. He tried to explain to me that I wasn't a monster."

"You honestly believe that you're a monster?" Alex asks.

Hanks laughs self-deprecently. "Trust me, if you could see me, you wouldn't want to be anywhere near me. Not many people prefer my company."

A hand covers his paw. "I prefer your company," Alex mumbles. He clears his throat after a moment, but keeps his hand where it is. "Maybe we can hang out sometime. Y'know, outside the clinic."

Hank finds himself smiling again, the warm feeling that had finally settled in the pit of his stomach rear again. "I would like that."

 **~*~*Beauty and the Bozo *~*~**

"How's Alex's treatment coming?"

Hank looks up at Scott and Logan. "So far the experiments have been proving successful. I want to be absolutely positive before operating on your brother, though."

Scott nods while Logan wraps an arm around his husband. "I'm sure Alex will be here annoying the hell out of you in no time, Cyke," Logan tries to soothe Scott. Hank was always fascinated by the good influence Scott had over the other mutant. With the exception of children, Wolverine only ever expressed tenderness and care with Scott. It was heart-warming, not that Hank would ever admit that out loud. He didn't need Wolverine ripping his throat out. "Besides, if anyone could help Baby Summers out, it'd be the mad scientist."

"He's not a baby," Hank snaps before he realizes what he's even doing. Both mutants stare at him before Logan drops his arm, doubling over in laughter.

"Holy shit," Logan says in between gasps for air, "Beastie has a crush on baby bro! This is priceless!" Logan howled in laughter before Scott shut him up with a solid punch to the stomach. Logan grumbled. "But I guess this is a new theory for Hank to test out."

"What theory?" Hank asks.

Logan smirks. "That beasts always fall for the beauties," he says before kissing Scott's cheek. "Need to find more people like us before you experiment though. I'm pretty positive Erik counts, but I really don't want to think about Chuck like that..."

Hank rolls his eyes. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"But seriously, you crushing on Alex is interesting. I mean, I never thought you'd get yourself a boyfriend—"

"And I don't plan on getting one," Hank replied, turning back to his experiment.

"Alex likes you too, you know." That made Hank pause and turn back to Scott. "He talks about you all the time. Always asking me when you're coming back, what kind of aftershave you wear because he apparently loves it—"

"Are you sure you're talking about Alex?" Hank asks, hope trying to worm its way into his heart.

"I'm pretty sure I don't have any other brothers, so yeah, I'm talking about Alex," Scott replies sarcastically. Another point in their relationship is Logan was the only person who could loosen Scott up and make him into something other than the team leader. "You should talk to Alex. I think he wants more than friendship."

Hank pretended to consider. "No. I refuse to put your brother in danger."

"Alex knows about your mutation and he doesn't care."

"But I do! I don't want him to get hurt because he was seen with a monster! I was lucky to find a place for us to eat where they didn't tolerate anti-mutant fanatics!"

"Wait," Scott said slowly, "you took my brother out on a date and didn't say anything about it?" Hank nodded, suddenly nervous about getting the 'big brother' talk. "Well, you're not the only one to consider it a date, then." And Scott is beaming, which makes hope fully seat itself in Hank's heart. "Talk to him, please," Scott pleads.

Hank sighs. "After the operation. I want him to see me before we do anything more. Will that be fine?" he asks bitingly. Scott nods eagerly before dragging Logan out of the lab, leaving Hank blissfully alone. He turns back to his experiment once more, but finds himself unable to focus. "Damnit." He decides to go to bed, his dreams are full of blonde hair and milky blue eyes.


	4. Part 3

More months passed, and Hank was fully positive of two things. 1. He had found a way to give Alex his sight back, and 2. Henry Phillip McCoy (codename: Beast) was completely head over heels in love with Alexander Summers (codename: Havok).

After all this time, he still couldn't believe how much one person meant to him. Alex may not be a genius like himself or Charles, but he had his own intelligence that was just as unique as he was. His attitude and ability to see the world without actual sight also drew Hank to the blind man. He made Hank feel alive again in a way that he hadn't been since his parent's car accident. But what really surprised Hank about all of this was that Alex felt the same way. Alex, who could be friends with anyone, chose Hank of all people. It made him feel special. The good kind of special, not the "special" way he was treated by bullies throughout his life before his bulky transformation.

It had only been six months since he first met Alex, but he knew he never wanted to be without him ever again. He'd talked with Logan about that, and he explained he felt like that because that was the animal in him being released. "When I first saw Scott, I felt this sort of draw to him," Logan explained. "It took a lot of talks with the Professor and a lot of time in order for me to accept that I was attracted to Scott. After that, it was fine. You have to make peace with your animalistic side, Hank. Otherwise, one day, it'll become your only side. Like Sabretooth. You do _not_ want to be like him."

And it took a lot of talking (mostly with Raven) and some scientific journals about the idea ("shut up, Sean, they are _not_ diares!") for him to find his peace with that. And he had... for the most part. Hank smiled slightly as he entered the clinic. Today was the day he would be showing Alec his findings. According to the information he had gathered, it would only take a four-hour surgery in order to completely fix Alex's sight. "Hello, Alec," Hank greeted once he entered the office.

"Good morning, Hank. You brought the data?" Alec asked.

"Of course. I want you to check it over before we prepare for the operation," Hank says.

"Okay then. Let's get started," Alec says, smiling.

Three hours and two hungry scientists later, both Hank and Alec came to the conclusion that the operation _would_ take place tomorrow. Hank felt pride that Alex would be able to see the world by tomorrow afternoon. He was also nervous about Alex's reaction to his blue form. Alex had said many times that he didn't care about Hank's appearance (and touched him as often as possible to prove this), but saying it was different than actually _seeing_. "You did it, Hank," Alec said, clapping Beast on the shoulder.

Hank casually shrugs off the praise. " _We_ did it, Alec. The progress of medical science, much like the construction of a great cathedral, is the work of many hands. And I would hold your praises until the treatment has proven effective on humans."

Alec laughed. "Whatever you say, my friend. Should we go tell the patient the good news?"

Hank nodded in agreement, though perhaps he did so too quickly because Alec gave him an odd look. He looked away, not wanting to embarrass himself. "Yes. Alex should hear the good news." They were quiet as they left the office and headed over to Alex's room.

When Dr. Bolson opened the door, Alex was sitting in his corner listening to music. Like always, he paused in his "jam session" when the door opened. He took off his headphones. "Hello?"

"Its Dr. Bolson, Alex."

"Hey, Doc. Is Hank with you?" Alex asked immediately.

Hank blushed slightly at the question. "I thought you could smell my aftershave," he quipped.

Alex smiled. "Hey, bozo." Alex stood up and walked towards the sound of Hank's voice. The doctor managed to move forward quickly before Alex could trip over anything. Sometimes the blonde made really stupid decisions. He was only a step away when Alex managed to find the one freakin' crack in the room and trip over it, falling into Hank's chest. Hank didn't mind the extra weight leaning against him, only concerned about Alex's safety. "Wow," Alex said, lifting his face from Hank's chest, "you're really firm." Hank blushes more, feeling the heat radiate off his face. Alex's hands are planted firmly on his chest, looking up at Hank even though he can't see him.

"The experiments were a success," Hank blurts, "We can probably perform the procedure tomorrow."

Alex stares at him with sightless eyes. "What?"

"You'll be able to see again, Alex," Hank murmurs, stroking soothing hands up and down Alex's back. "You can see Scott again, see Dr. Bolson... see me."

Alex reached up to touch Hank's furry cheek. "I can't wait to see you," Alex murmurs.

Hank leaned into the touch. "You may not be so glad once you see the beast," he responds.

Alex shakes his head. "How many times do I have to tell you, I don't care what you look like. Once I can see again, I can't wait to prove it to you."

Hank was about to respond when an explosion shook the building. Alec went to go investigate when Hank had a feeling that this was not about the patients, but the doctors— more specifically, Hank. "Alec, shut the door." When the door opened, red smoke poured in. Hank quickly shut the door, pulling Alec from it, trying to get him to breathe non-toxic air.

"What is it?" Alex asked urgently as Hank walked Alec to the other side of the room, opening the window. "Hank, tell me what the hell is going on!"

Hank ignored Alex's questions, picking the mutant up bridal-style. "Its alright; I'm right here," he soothed, moving to the window and jumping out.

Alex rolled his sightless eyes. "Thanks for the reassurance, Bigfoot." Hank smiled a little, knowing Alex was alright. He set him down, jumping back through the window to collect Alec. "Hank?" he heard Alex call. "Hank?!" again, just as he landed. He reached out for the other mutant, breathing a sigh of relief when he touched familiar fur. "You're alright."

"I'm alright. The important thing is that you are too," Hank replies before picking up Alex again.

Alex goes easily, seemingly melting into Hank's chest. "You really like showing off your strength, don't you tough guy?" he asks Hank, enjoying the warm feeling of Hank's heat seeping into his own.

Hank smiles at the gest. "Only with you, Alex," he mutters, keeping it quiet enough so the other can't hear him. He starts jogging towards the front of the building, going slow so Alec could keep up with him. When they reached the front, he found the culprits behind the attack: Friends of Humanity, with its leader guiding them, Graydon Creed. He wanted to snarl at the anti-mutant hater. He made the most ferocious mutants look like the most peaceful humans.

"There he is! Henry McCoy, President Kelly's favorite _mutant_ , holding a _human_ boy!" _Yes, because you discriminate me for my looks but not my sexual orientation,_ Hank thought, irked. "Get his filth away from him!" His followers all shouted in agreement as the FOH soldiers came forward, planning on attacking Hank.

Hank, not wanting to be responsible for Alex getting harmed, set him down next to Alec. "Get him out of here!" Hank told Alec, turning back towards the crowd.

"No, Hank, don't! Please, I don't want you to get hurt," Alex pleaded, reaching to grab onto Hank's arm. Hank shrugged him off, and Alex was lead away by Alec.

Now that the person he cared about was safe, Hank turned back to the mutant-hating crowd. _Mutant!_ one of the crowd members shouted. "Yes, I am. Perhaps you self-appointed social engineers don't realize the crucial role mutation plays in species evolution." _Get him!_ another protester yelled. The men rushed him, and Hank let his animal instincts set in, picking up the first two men by their shirts. "I'm sorry, gentlemen, your anger at the inexorable alienation of late twentieth century attitudes is sadly misdirected." The two men looked terrified as he threw them into the others, knocking them back onto the grass.

Suddenly sirens wailed through the air. "The cops!" yelled one of the men Hank threw. Suddenly they all scrambled from the scene as fire and police trucks pulled up. Hank looked back to the clinic. _This is why I shouldn't have left the mansion_ , Hank thought sadly as he ran away. He went to an abandoned building a few blocks from the clinic, hiding there until he was sure it was safe to return to the mansion. _Forgive me, Alex,_ Hank thought sadly.


	5. Part 4

"Attacking a hospital for the blind!" Logan ranted as he slammed his hand down on the console, shutting down the news broadcast. "Just leave me alone with those clowns for five minutes; just five minutes!" Logan shouted, anger pouring off of him in waves. Scott reached out for his husband, but Logan pulled away. Scott sighed. "Logan, you need to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down! Your brother could've been killed by those _assholes_ , and you want _me_ to calm down?!" Logan yelled, his animalistic rage thrumming through him uncontrollably.

"Logan, stop! You know that we can't—"

"X-Men never seek revenge. I know. So, do we just let 'em get away with it?"

"No," Scott says placatingly, wrapping his arms around Logan's waist, pulling him closer to his body. This time Logan comes willingly, Scott resting their foreheads together, hoping to keep Wolverine in check until the Professor and Magneto came back from their trip to the Savage Lands (Scott didn't know _why_ they were there, but he wasn't going to ask). "We have to approach this delicately."

Logan raised an eyebrow at the X-Man. "Delicately?" he asked, his tone sarcastic.

Scott nodded, placing a hand on Logan's cheek, taking it as a good sign when the other mutant leaned in to the touch. "The Friends of Humanity thrive on public hatred of mutants. We can't help their cause by appearing to be on a rampage. "

It was quiet for a moment before Logan sighed. "Alright, Scott, for now. But I'm going after them, and if we don't find a kinder, gentler way to shut 'em down, there's gonna be a few less Friends of Humanity around stinking up the planet."

The leader acknowledged this, knowing that this was going to be the best he could get out of Wolverine. "All I ask is that you be subtle."

That got a snort from his second-in-command. Logan leaned the scant few inches forward until their lips were pressed in a chaise kiss. Scott hummed against the other man's lips, reveling in the gentleness he only ever saw the man have for him. "Oh, sweetheart, 'subtle' is my middle name."

Scott smirked at the man. "Sure it is," he replied before kissing Logan again. _Where the hell is the Professor?_ Scott thought before Logan began to do things that made the Professor the _last_ thing Scott wanted to think about.

 **~*B &B*~**

Hank returned the next day a few hours before Alex's procedure. He obviously wasn't to be expected, because Alec sounded resigned when he greeted him. But Hank didn't care; he only had one concern: "Is Alex alright?"

Alec sighed. "Alex is... Alex is fine. I hate to say this, but, well..."

"What is it?" Hank asked, only slightly alarmed. He knew this was coming. This is why he should never have left. The only thing he didn't regret about all this was meeting Alex. He could never regret the best decision of his life.

"After what happened yesterday, the hospital board told me that you— They're worried about the patients and—"

Hank sighed. "And having a mutant around will make matters worse. Our work should be more important than catering to those bigots."

Alec sighed as well as he walked over to Director Kelly's office door and let it open a hair. "There's another problem." Hank heard a slightly high-pitched female voice coming from the office. _My fiancé means everything to me! He may have agreed to this experiment, but I refuse to lose him because of some freak!_

Now the mutant was confused. "Who is that?"

Alec sighed again. "She claims to be Alex's fianceé. As far as Alex has told me, Lorna Dane _was_ his fianceé. He hasn't seen her for years. Not since _she_ broke off the engagement."

"But why would she come back now, of all times?" Alec only looked at him, resigned. Hank felt that same resignation within him. "Can I at least say goodbye?"

"Of course."


	6. Part 5

Like six months ago, Hank once again stood outside Room 764. He opened and closed the door quietly before leaning against it. This time, Alex was leaning up against the headboard listening to his music. But, like always, he paused the music and took off his headphones. "Hank, dude, you're wearing _way_ too much aftershave," Alex teased before making grabby hands in Hank's general direction.

Hank smiled. Even when his mood wasn't the best, Alex always managed to brighten up his day. "I didn't put much on today, and you know it," he told Alex, walking over to the bed and taking a seat on the edge of it. Alex immediately grabbed his hand and Hank gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad to see you alright, Alex."

"I wish I could see if you were. Can I...?" Alex raised his other hand towards Hank's face. Hank made a sound of agreement, and Alex brought a hand up to his face. Besides yesterday, Hank didn't really allow Alex to touch his face. He was always worried if Alex was going to hurt himself on his fangs or be distraught at the feel of his pointed ears. But, like always, Alex proved him wrong by not even flinching at the feeling. Hank all but purred at the ministrations. Alex's mouth tilted up on one side, one of Hank's favorite expressions on the other man. "I can't wait to see you in a few hours." Hank froze. Alex noticed that something was wrong immediately, and he became worried. "Hank? What's wrong?"

Hank was quiet, taking a moment to choose his words carefully. "I'm sorry, Alex, but I can't be here for the operation."

"What?" The other man's grip slightly tightened on the blue-furred mutant's face, not to hurt but to keep him in place. "Why? Is this because of the anti-mutant attacks yesterday?"

The doctor wasn't even surprised that Alex had figured out what happened yesterday. He would have been more surprised if Alex _hadn't_ figured it out. "I don't want to put innocent people in danger. Its best for all of us if you just forget about me."

Alex's eyes began to water, but he didn't cry. "I can't. I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to try, but I don't. Please don't do this."

"I have to. I don't want to see you hurt because of me. Please understand. Besides..."

"What?"

"..."

"Hank, what is it?"

Hank sighed. He could never lie to Alex. "Your finaceé came back. I don't want to get in between—"

"I don't care about Lorna. I care about you. I don't care what the _fuck_ anyone else says. She can go to hell for all I care. She couldn't deal with my disabilities; it put too much pressure on _her_ to be with a blind man. _She_ had pressure. I mean, seriously, how _shallow_ can one person be? Well, actually, I do know. _I_ used to be like that."

"I don't believe that," Hank says, covering Alex's hand with his own where it still rests on his face.

"Well, you need to. Because its true. I used to be shallow, use my disability to my advantage. I didn't have a care in the world until I was reunited with Scott. When he told me about his optic blasts, I was scared for him. But he's made his peace with it. It made me realize how much I haven't made peace with about myself. Then you happened, and I finally made peace with who I am. _You_ are the reason I'm who I am, because when I'm with you... when I'm with you, I'm finally who I want to be."

Hank felt tears in his eyes at the confession. "I'm who I want to be when I'm with you too," Hank confesses. "I'm sorry but I need to go. I will be thinking of you for the rest of the day." He took a risk and kissed Alex on the forehead. "Be happy," Hank whispered before dropping Alex's hands and leaving. As he opened the door, he heard Alex whisper _But I can't be happy without you_ , and it took all of Hank's willpower not to return to him. Instead he left without a backwards glance.

 **~*B &B*~**

By the afternoon, Hank found himself in the mansion's large library, looking over old photos of himself before the transformation. He was jealous of his younger self, wishing he only had his deformed feet instead of this monstrous appearance. Maybe then he and Alex would have had a chance. But as long as he looked like this, there would never be a chance to find happiness. He then came across some pictures of him after the transformation, again envying himself. That was him before he met true hatred and fear, back when he was surrounded by people who only cared if he was smart or not. He huffed and threw the book away. It landed at the end of the staircase just as Raven walked in. She was in her natural form, which made her look very lovely. Hank remembered a time when he would have loved to be with her, but those times and feelings had long faded. It was nothing compared to the way Alex made him feel. Raven was carrying a tray of food, presumably for Hank, who hadn't eaten since earlier that morning. She looked at him with a concerned expression before he had to turn away. Hank heard her walking closer, covering his eyes with a paw in order to avoid eye contact with her. "I thought you might be hungry," she said, setting down the tray on the side table next to his seat.

Hank sighed. "No, thank you," he said, removing his glasses and hand from his face in the same motion, standing up to walk away from the conversation he knew Mystique planned on having with him. Instead of leaving the room, though, Hank walked over to the mirror, staring at his reflection. It really _had_ been a while since he had seen himself. All he could see was the monster that everyone else saw. His eyes met Raven's in the mirror before flitting away quickly. All of sudden he felt a rippling anger, and he cried out as he punched the mirror, shattering it into a million pieces. Hank covered his face once more, not being able to stop the tears from flowing freely this time.

The doctor heard Raven come behind him, giving him a hug. "This is about Alex, isn't it?"

Hank didn't answer her, instead asking her, "Why did this have to happen to me? Why can't I be _normal?!_ Its not fair."

Mystique continued to hug him before letting go, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Remember, Hank, mutant and proud. You have to think about how our gifts can help the world."

"Gifts?" Hank muttered, turning back to the other mutant. "I can't be close to any human in fear of putting them in danger! I can't be close to _anyone_ because I don't know if I'll accidentally harm them! All you can do is change shape; I have _fucking claws!_ I couldn't be close to my parents, never saying goodbye. Now, now I can't be with the man I love."

"Aw, Hank," Raven said, "I had no idea how much Alex meant to you."

"It was so much easier when I never left the mansion. I didn't have to worry about others hating me, about what they thought of me."

"And how does Alex feel about you?" Raven asks.

"I think— I think he cares about me."

"That's awesome."

"No, no it isn't," Hank spat at her, "I won't allow him to be with me. Its too dangerous for him. He can pass as human; I _can't_."

"Don't you think that's his decision? Hank, you once explained to me that humans are autonomous for a reason. Let Alex decide whether he wants to be with you or not. " Raven walked back to the staircase. Before climbing the first step, she looked over her shoulder at Hank. "Maybe you should talk to him about this. Give him the chance to make his own choices. We may not have had the choice to be like this, but we can chose how to live our lives like this." With that said, she walked up the stair, leaving Hank alone with his thoughts. It only took a few moments for him to mull over her words before he made one of the biggest decisions of his life. He just hoped he wouldn't live to regret it.


	7. Part 6

Hank entered the room just as Alec began cutting the bandages from around Alex's eyes. Alec looked up as he closed the door. The other doctor walked over to Hank, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hank! You can't be here," Alec whispered, managing to sound both tired and compassionate.

"Hank?!" Alex asked, excited.

The mutant walked forward, kneeling in front of Alex. He took both of his hands in his paws. "Yes, Alex?" Hank asked. "I'm here."

"How did he know?" Alec asked, curious.

"He knows my aftershave," Hank responded, never taking his eyes away from Alex.

"You want me to get rid of him, doctor?" one of the security guards asked Alec.

"No," Alec responded, "the man who designed this treatment deserves to be here." Alec walked back over to the pair and resumed cutting the linen wrapped around Alex's head. Once completed, he removed the gauze pads that covered Alex's eyes.

When Alex opened his eyes, it took him a moment to realize that what was now blinding him was _sunlight_. He blinked a few times before the creature in front of him came into focus. He had blue fur covering every inch of his body, his fangs jutting out slightly from his lower lip. His yellow eyes stared at Alex for a moment, worried. That's when Alex realized Hank was waiting for him to say something. He smiled. "You're still a bozo," Alex told him. "but I'm glad I can finally see you."

Hank blinked at him before breaking out into a big smile, fangs and all. He wanted to laugh at it all. Alex still didn't care, even after finally seeing him! Hank never thought someone was meant to be so happy, but he was glad he could. "Hey, what about me?" Alec asked teasingly.

"Why don't you have soft fur like Hank?" Alex responded.

"I have a better razor."

Hank continued to smile and hold Alex's hand, finally able to stare into clear blue eyes without having to worry about whether or not it was appropriate to stare at someone when they couldn't see you doing so.

But, naturally, that's when all hell broke lose.

" _Get your filthy mutant paws off my fiancé!_ " Hank turned around just as Alex looked up. Standing inside the doorway was a woman in a skin-tight green dress, her green hair dye making her scowling features look more grotesque than they actually were.

"Who the hell are you?" Alex asked.

"What, you don't recognize me, Lex? Oh yeah, that's right, why would you?" Lorna responded acidly.

Hank stood, Alex standing at the same time. "Get out," Alex spat, "you have no place in my life anymore."

"Perhaps I should leave," Hank said, not wanting to be the cause of an argument.

"But you just got here!" Alex exclaimed.

"I'll come back later," Hank promised.

"You will not!" Lorna exclaimed. "I will not have Lex associate with some monster just because he decided to pity it!"

"If it weren't for Dr. McCoy," Alec snapped back at the woman, "Alex's operation would not have been possible!"

"He's a mutant!" she shouted. "How could you _possibly_ side with him?!"

"Stop!" Alex shouted, and Hank could see a red light begin to emit from Alex's chest. He put a hand on Alex's shoulder, which instantly calmed the mutant and his powers.

"It's okay, Alex," Hank said calmly before walking towards the exit. He pauses at the entrance before turning back to Lorna. "Today is a day of joy. Alex can see again after all these years. Let's leave it at that." Hank walked out of the room, firmly shutting the doorway behind him. He hadn't made it a few steps down the hall before Alec called out. "Thank you Alec," he told the other doctor when he caught up with him, "but I don't know if it will ever be possible to get through to people like that." He paused before pulling a wrapped gift out of his jacket pocket. "I forgot to give this to Alex. Would you give it to him for me? Please?"

"Of course," Alec responded immediately, pocketing the gift in his lab coat. He turned back to Alex's room as Hank walked away once more. Again, Hank only got a few steps when he heard Alec shout for him to come back. At hearing the urgent tone in his voice, Hank ran back to the room. When he got there, what he saw made him angrier than he had ever felt before. Lorna, the security guard and Alec's assistant were lying on the floor, appearing unconscious. In red ink (fortunately not blood, though it did appear that way), written on the wall, it said **FOR HUMANITY.** The window was wide open, and Alex was nowhere to be found. Hank ran over to Lorna, picking her up and depositing her on Alex's bed. _Alex_ , Hank thought. _No. Not Alex._ Hank ran over to the bathroom, grabbing a glass and pouring some water in it. He already had a good idea on who stole Alex, but he needed to make sure before he did anything rash. The beast in him roared in anger at the Friends of Humanity stealing _his_ Alex, but Hank calmed that part of him.

Besides, Alex wasn't even his, Hank thought logically.

He returned to the room and poured water on Lorna's unconscious face. She spluttered and looked indignant as she sat up, but Hank silenced her with a look, fear replacing anger on her face. "Where is Alex?!" he asked her urgently. "Where did they take him?!"

Lorna just sneered at him, her fear fading instantly. " _Mutant_. This is _your_ fault."

Hank grabbed her by her shoulders, pulling her towards him until they were only a few inches apart. She tried to break free but his grip was iron. "It was intolerant, ignorant mutant-hating fools like you who took Alex. If anything happens to him—" Hank stopped himself, feeling his anger get out of control again. He set Lorna back on the bed, and she scrambled up the bed until she was resting on the headboard, mirroring the position Alex was in earlier that day. "I am going to find him. I suggest that if you want to see Alex again, you would do wise to stay out of my way." With that, he walked out of the room once more. He heard Lorna shout for him, but he ignored her. She wasn't what he needed to focus on. But first, he needed to call Scott and let him know what was going on.


	8. Part 7

"What do you mean Hank was kicked out of the hospital?!" Scott asked the receptionist. He had called to talk to Hank about whether or not he could visit his little brother tomorrow, but this woman was being so _unhelpful_. He groaned before deciding to hang up. He heard a throat clear behind him. When Scott turned around, Mystique and Banshee were standing in the doorway. "What is it, Raven?" he asked.

"Hank came back earlier. He seemed pretty upset, so I told him to go back to the clinic," Raven told him, both her and Sean entering the room together. "After the hospital attack yesterday, they didn't want to risk any of the patients—"

"—so they got rid of Hank," Scott finished for her. He sighed. When were people going to understand there was nothing wrong with being a mutant. It was mostly accepted nowadays (along with being gay, thank God), but there were still people who thought it wrong.

Suddenly there was a ringing, followed by the AI saying _Incoming call from: Hank McCoy_. Scott immediately picked up and put him on speaker.

 _Hello, Cyclops? This is Beast._

"We're here, Beast. What's up?"

 _You aren't going to like this, but Alex has been kidnapped._ Hank interrupted before Scott could ask him any questions. _The Friends of Humanity took him a short time ago. I need assistance._

"Well, since this _is_ my little brother we're talking about, you're obviously gonna get it," Scott told the other mutant. He knew he should be more worried about Alex, but he knew his little brother could take care of himself until they arrived. "Mystique and Banshee are right here with me. We're ready to help."

 _Mystique, where were the FOH headquarters Erik sent you to?_

"It's the old abandoned veterans building," Raven said.

 _Meet me there_ was all Hank said before disconnecting. Scott felt really bad for the FOH guys who took Alex. Looks like they would have hell to pay. As he, Mystique and Banshee were about to leave, there was some static coming from the comm unit. Then, _Hey. War Room. Can anybody hear me?_

Scott rushed back over to the console. "Logan?! Where are you? You didn't come home last night—"

 _Sorry about that, Scott, but I was doing what you suggested. I'm babysitting a bunch of mutant-hating guttertrash. If you want them alive, get everybody down here to the old veterans building right away._

"Beast is almost there, and were on our way. He think they're holding Alex there."

 _Woah, woah, wait. Alex. As in lil bro Alex?_

"Hank said FOH kidnapped him a little while ago."

 _Shit_.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Scott said. "I kinda feel bad for the poor bastards."

 _Why the hell would you feel bad for them?_

"Because, when Hank gets his hands on them, it ain't gonna be pretty."

 _...Good point. Don't worry, I'll find him. And listen. I need the portable cerebral projector and a file disk on an old buddy a'mine. Bring file no. 3559._

"Copy that, Wolverine." A second later, Logan disconnected as well.

"What could Logan want with a cerebral projector?" Raven asked, already across the room with Banshee grabbing the necessary items.

Scott shrugged. "If being married to Logan has taught me one thing, its to only question his tactics when they involve him putting himself in harms way, regenerative abilities or no." Raven smirked at him as she grabbed the file and Sean the projector before following Scott out of the room.


	9. Part 8

As glad as Alex was to have his sight back, he wished he didn't have to see this assclown's face. I mean, seriously. The anti-mutant dude paced back and forth in front of him. "How long have you known this Doctor McCoy?" he finally asked.

Alex snorted from his place in the chair. He knew he could easily escape, but he didn't want to hurt any innocent people, no matter how brainwashed they were by this dumbass. "Dude, you need to get the giant discriminatory stick out of your ass ASAP," Alex said, not answering the question.

All the man did was give him a look. "I understand he was your doctor. But he's more than that, isn't he? You're more than _friends_ , aren't you?" He stepped closer to Alex, grabbing him by his chin and staring him right in the eye. For the first time since his capture, Alex was afraid. He remembered seeing that look once before he lost his sight; it was lust.

He pulled out of his captor's grip. "Leave me alone!" he exclaimed, hoping someone would hear him.

"Don't you know what monsters they are? They're evil, all of them! They and all who associate with them _must be exterminated!_ " He paused in his rant, staring at Alex with those lustful, beady eyes. "Then again, maybe not _everyone_ who associate with them need to be 'taken care of'. I will forgive you for your sins... for a price."

Alex felt sick to his stomach (and was just about to break his own rules) when suddenly the door flew open. A guy with red shades and a baseball cap walked in. "What are you doing here?!" the maniac shouted at the unexpected arrival. "New members aren't allowed in here!"

"Let the kid go, Creed," the stranger said menacingly.

"How _dare_ you!" Creed shouted at him, stepping toward the guy and grabbing him by his shirt. "You have no right to—"

Suddenly three razor-sharp claws appeared in between the other guy's knuckles, and Alex instantly knew who his savior was. Logan smirked at whatever expression Creed was wearing (Alex really hoped Creed was shitting himself at this point; it was the _least_ the bastard deserved). "These give me plenty of rights," Wolverine said.

"You— You're—" Creed stammered, backing away. The next thing Alex knew, he was shooting at Logan with some type of laser gun. All Logan did was casually move out of the way of the blast, unsheathing his other set of adamantium claws. _Scott's description of them really didn't do them justice_ , Alex thought as light gleamed off the metallic weapons. "Stay back, you mutant shit!" Creed shouted as Alex felt the barrel of the gun pushed into his skull.

Logan didn't stop his advances. "What's the matter, Creed?" he taunted, raising his claws. "Daddy's boy doesn't like claws?"

Alex was confused, but Creed seemed to know what the other mutant was talking about. "I— I don't know what you're talking about!" he stammered, and Alex suddenly realized what was going on here. He silently applauded Logan for figuring it out. _That explains a lot, actually._

"Oh? I don't have a familiar look to you?" Logan asked, removing his glasses. He stared Creed dead-on, and Alex could feel his fear from where he was being held. He hid his smirk from his captor.

"Shut up! Shut _up_!"

"Mr. Creed!" one of the cronies shouted as he ran through the door. "That mutant from the hospital broke in. He's—" Logan ran towards him as Creed shot at him, grabbing the man by his shirt and throwing him at Creed, effectively knocking him down. Logan walked back towards Alex, kneeling down next to him as he cut off his ropes.

"Hey, kid. I'm Logan, Scott's, ah, friend."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I know who you are. And I know you're not just Scott's _friend_."

Logan studied him for a moment before smirking. "Mouthy little shit, ain't ya?"

Alex shrugged. "Runs in the family," he responded before he saw blue out of the corner of his eye. Hank was standing in the doorway, breathing heavily. He thought he heard the man breathe out his name before passing out, but he couldn't be sure. "Hank!" he cried out, running over to him. Alex knelt down on the floor, immediately checking for blood, grateful that he found none. He ran a hand over Hank's neck, finding his pulse to be steady.

"Look," Logan said, "this is all very touching, but we gotta get outta here." He sounded understanding as he pulled Alex gently away from Hank's unconscious form. Logan pulled one of Hank's arms over his shoulder, grunting as he lifted the bigger mutant up. "Oh, Beast, you gotta cut down on those snacks, pal." Once he had Hank secure, he motioned for Alex to follow him out the door. They ran through the maze of halls, coming out into an open space.

That's where they were waiting.

"Uh oh," Logan mumbled as they were surrounded by Friends of Humanity soldiers. As Alex stared at these men, he felt anger begin to boil in his chest, along with heat. He tried to calm himself. Now that he could see again, he understood why Hank was always afraid for his safety. He would have to relearn control again. "Looks like we took a wrong turn," Logan ground out.

"Well, Mr. Logan," Alex turned around to see Creed stalking towards them, "since you hate mutants so much, I think I'll let you watch while I put one out of his misery!"

"No!" Alex shouted.

Logan growled. "Not until I take a few of you joy boys along with us." he said as his claws came back out. Suddenly a plasma beam knocked out the part of the side wall. knocking down a few of the members with it. Alex only knew one person who had that kind of power, and felt relief rush through him that his brother had come to help out in their escape.

A blue light came through the hole, and a hologram of a muscular man with claws similar to Wolverine's appeared. He growled as he stalked forward to what Alex assumed was his prey. A mechanical voice started talking: _The mutant Sabretooth, last seen on the Bathan island region of Canada._

"No, get it away!" Creed shouted, terror marrying his face. "Turn it off! _Stay away from me!_ " He pulled out his gun and began shooting at the hologram. His reckless shooting took down part of the roof.

 _Home: Edmonton, Alberta. Real name:—_

"No!" Creed shouted, jumping through the hologram as if doing that would stop the inevitable.

 _—Graydon Creed, Sr._

"Graydon Creed, _Sr._?!" one of the henchmen repeated, sounding shocked that their leader was the son of a famous mutant.

"Like father, like son," Logan mumbled, setting Beast down on the floor gingerly. Alex went with him, petting Hank's head, which seemed to make the mutant relax more than he already was. Alex only picked up on a few words after that: Creed denying the fact that his father's Sabretooth, yelling at his minions as they walked away from their so-called messiah. "Time to go, kid," Logan said, picking up Hank once more. Alex went on his other side, helping Logan carry the still-unconscious mutant towards the front entrance. Alex could still hear Creed shouting as they exited the building.

"Hank!" a female voice shouted. A blue woman ran over to them. "Logan, what happened?" she asked.

"He got the shit pummeled out of him, that's what happened."

The woman smacked Logan in the shoulder before moving over to Alex. "Hi, Alex. I'm not sure if Scott told you about me, but my name is Raven. Here, you've been through a lot. Let me."

Alex reluctantly handed over Hank's arm, and watched as the two mutants carried Hank over to an armored-car. Alex was soon assaulted in a bear hug. It took him a second to realize it was Scott, and he hugged his big brother back for a moment before pulling away to look at Scott. He was so much older now, his hair neatly cut and face freshly shaved. His glasses prevented him from seeing his blue eyes, but it didn't matter. He could see Scott again. Scott placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hank'll be fine," Scott assured him. "He might be out for a few days, though. So we may as well head back to the mansion and get a little shut-eye." Alex nodded and followed Scott to the car. When Hank woke up, they were gonna have to talk.

 **~*B &B*~**

The crawl back to conscious was always the hardest part of waking up. Hank had noticed this everytime he woke up in the morning. He had trouble functioning in the morning without a strong cup of coffee.

"Good to know. Been a while since I made coffee, but I'm sure I can figure it out again."

At the voice, Hank sat upright in the bed. He blinked, realizing he was in the infirmary, Alex sitting next to him in one of the chairs. "Alex," Hank breathed, reaching out a hand to touch Alex, but aborting the movement at the last second. He dropped his eyes for a second before forcing himself to make contact with Alex's now-seeing eyes. "What—" He was interrupted by Alex, who had leaned forward to press their lips together. Hank let out a puff of air in surprise, but he leaned into the smaller man, welcoming the intimate touch.

Alex hummed into his mouth before pulling away, licking his lips. Hank tracked the movement, fascinated. "Can't tell you how long I've been waiting to do that," Alex murmured.

Hank stared at him. "Are you sure this is what you want? Because I understand if—"

"Hank." The stern tone made Hank stop dead in his tracks. "I don't care what you look like. See, sight and all." Alex got up out of the chair and crawled into bed next to Hank, the bed fortunately big enough to comfortably fit the both of them. Alex nestle into Hank, both of them unwinding at the comfort the closeness brought them both. Hank wrapped his arms around Alex while the other put his hands on Hank's chest, his head coming to rest over Hank's heart. "I'm sorry about what you had to go through these past few days because of me," Alex admitted, "but I'm really glad to have met you, Hank McCoy, and I want to be with you. It'll be hard, sure, but we have each other. Isn't that enough?"

The yellow-eyes mutant stared down at his friend (partner?), once again happy that he could look at Alex and have him look back as well. Hank nodded. "As long as I have you," he affirmed.

Alex smiled that hypnotizing smile before settling against Hank, both of them secure in the knowledge that they had each other.

 **~*B &B*~**

"Alex?"

"Yeah Hank?"

"I love you."

"... Love ya too, bozo."

 **~*B &B*~**

 _Tale as old as time,_

 _Song as old as rhyme._

 _Beauty and the Beast._

 **~*B &B*~**

 ** _Holy. Shit. I think this is the longest one-shot I have ever written. And I'm so proud of myself._**

 ** _Total Page Count: 23_**

 ** _Total Word Count: 9,783_**

 ** _BTW: Alex totally drop-kicks Lorna's prissy ass. Hank and Logan sit off to the side eating popcorn. It was that epic._**


End file.
